Many manga fans consider Fist Of The North Star one of the most influential series in the medium. Furthermore, the manga branched into several media, including anime TV series, live-action films, and video games. However, you may not have expected to see Kenshiro lead your next fitness class. Yet, surprisingly, the post-apocalyptic action series has its own fitness game on Switch, Fitness Boxing: Fist Of The North Star.
If you’ve played Imagineer’s previous Fitness Boxing titles, perhaps this Fist Of The North Star spinoff feels familiar. But what if you’re jabbing to the rhythm for the first time? We spent some classes training with the successor of the Hokuto Shinken. And although we can’t murder someone through their meridian points, we did learn some valuable rhythmic boxing tips!
When following an exercise instructor, trying to precisely match their movements is understandable. Furthermore, FB: Fist Of The North Star’s feet guide will give you another standard you’ll feel compelled to replicate. However, while the feet guide helps you stay in rhythm, precisely matching it is unnecessary.
Some instances call for planting your feet in place so you can focus on hitting strong jabs and straights. Worrying about which foot you use to get back into rhythm steals focus from the present task. You’re doing great as long as your internal rhythm is in sync with the music!
In short, the feet guide is nothing more than a tool. And with practice, you’ll know how to move to the beat naturally while maintaining your form. Ultimately, that’s all that matters.
Move From Your Core For Better Judgments
We’re sure you’ve heard this fitness cliché again and again: “ENGAGE YOUR CORE!” Still, there are several reasons why this adage is relevant, especially in FB: Fist Of The North Star.
One reason to move from your core is to maintain good posture. After all, these muscles relate to your spine’s movement and stability. This stability will keep you from slouching or losing your balance from uneven weight distribution.
Moving from your core also incorporates your entire body into the workout, rather than your extremities. Thus, you will use more muscle groups and get the most out of your session.
Lastly, moving from your core will make your boxing efficient and clear. Efficiency and clarity are essential for precise rhythm timing and reliable readings from your Joycons’ gyroscope controls. For instance, if you fling your arm across your body for a hook, your punch may land too late, or the gyroscope reading will be muddy, resulting in a miss. However, if you focus on moving your whole body into the hook from your core, you’ll throw a smaller, faster, and more impactful punch. This is the perfect case of less is more!
You Can Earn Your Daily Stamp From Any Workout
Did you know you can earn your daily stamp by playing any mode in the game, not exclusively Daily Workout? Any physical activity counts toward your daily stamp, whether a scuffle in Battle mode, a custom Free Training session, or your Daily Workout routine. So, go ham and try everything. You’ll still get that satisfying bandit takedown!
FB: Fist Of The North Star uses metric units (cm, kg, etc.) by default. For most players, that won’t be an issue. However, you can put the Google conversion tool away if you’re a US player putting together a fitness profile. Fortunately, it’s possible to change measurements into imperial units (in, ft, lb, etc.).
Here is how to change measurement units. First, enter Settings mode from the main menu. Then, open the Basic Settings tab. ‘Units’ is the second listed setting.
The Settings menu has several other helpful features. For instance, you can remove specific movements from your daily exercises and add auto-assist timing for actions your controllers may not read well. Plus, you can set an alarm on your Switch to remind you about your daily workout. This alarm even works when your console is in Sleep mode!
Practice Actions You’re Struggling With In Basic Training
Sometimes you’ll play through a workout and notice a movement is not landing right, resulting in a Miss or OK timing. Yet, other actions register fine, and the music, graphics, and input are all in sync. In this case, the issue may be your form. Fortunately, FB: Fist Of The North Star has a tool for that!
Basic Training is where to go whenever you need to learn a new movement or review something you’ve already learned. First, instructors will walk you through each step of the action. Then you’ll get a chance to practice it repeatedly. Plus, Basic Training allows you to focus primarily on one side. In other words, if your right hook is perfect, but your left hook isn’t registering in-game, you can focus exclusively on the left hook. This feature makes Basic Training mode detailed and efficient.
As you practice in Basic Training, pay attention to what is working and what’s not. For instance, let’s revisit that left hook. Are you throwing wide punches resulting in misses? In that case, a smaller punch rooted from the core might be the answer. Or perhaps you’re moving your feet too much, thus causing the gyroscope controls to misread the hook. Again, Basic Training is the perfect opportunity to inspect these finer details.
You Can Program Stretches Into Your Workout
Stretching is essential for prolonged physical activity, especially a workout as intensive as rhythm boxing. Still, sometimes it’s hard to determine what stretches are best for the activities we plan to do. And if you’re new to exercising, making a stretch routine can feel somewhat intimidating. Or perhaps you need a workout buddy to hold you accountable for stretching. No matter the situation, FB: Fist Of The North Star has you covered.
FB: Fist Of The North Star allows you to engage in light or thorough stretching guided by your instructor. Plus, you can use its stretching routine to prepare for a workout outside the game or add it in carte blanche to a Free Training routine. It’s a nice quality-of-life feature to help you start or finish any exercise without strain or injury!
